Makenna James thinks her day can't get any worse,
until she finds herself stranded in a pitch-black elevator with a complete
stranger. Distracted by a phone call, the pin-striped accountant catches only a
glimpse of a dragon tattoo on his hand before the lights go out.

Four hours…

Caden Grayson is amused when a harried redhead
dashes into his elevator fumbling her bags and cell phone. His amusement turns
to panic when the power fails. Despite his piercings, tats, and vicious scar,
he's terrified of the dark and confined spaces. Now, he's trapped in his own
worst nightmare.

One pitch-black elevator…

To fight fear, they must reach out and open up.
With no preconceived notions based on looks to hold them back, they discover
just how much they have in common. In the warming darkness, attraction grows
and sparks fly, but will they feel the same when the lights come back on?

Review:

Bookish friends are the absolute best, am I right? I was
texting with the wonderful Krista at Krista’s Dust Jacket, lamenting about the
fact that I was suffering from a massive book hangover. Which lead to talking
about what she was reading (Hearts in
Light). She was raving about this
book and I admitted I had never read HEARTS IN DARKNESS – which is a seriously
stupid oversight on my part because I know and adore the author, Laura Kaye.
Two seconds later an email flashes that Krista gifted me the book.

Of course I started it and devoured it immediately. This
book was totally what I needed, so thanks, Krista (and Laura)!

HEARTS IN DARKNESS is a small-ish book, a smidge longer
than your usual novella, but that just makes the fact that in 112 and pages
Kaye makes me fall in love with and adore Caden and Makenna all the better.
This book takes off with a bang and doesn’t quit.

The entire novel spans one night. Now, I can already hear
the internal “insta-love” grousing, but hold on a second. I think it’s crucial
to remember that Makenna and Caden spend hours trapped together in total
darkness with nothing to do but talk to each other. So tally up all that and
what does that time equal? Three or four dinner dates? Twelve phone calls? A
thousand texts? There’s a beautiful intimacy in that the way their relationship
begins and unfolds is because they have nothing to do but be with one another
and learn about one another.

HEARTS IN DARKNESS is a freaking fantastic little
powerhouse of a book. It’s a superfast read that you won’t want to quit.
Thankfully, Krista just introduced me to this book (as I am now telling you
about it) and you only have to wait a few days before the sequel, Hearts in Light, comes out.

In the meantime, HEARTS IN DARKNESS is available for your
reading pleasure for less than $1. You're welcome.

Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns
her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she’s
carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she
wants to get her crush’s attention, she’ll have to step out of her comfort zone
and make him take notice…even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish,
cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date.

...and
it’s going to be oh so good.

All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play
professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening
everything he’s worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make
another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he’s all for
it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives,
it doesn’t take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn’t going to cut it.
Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.

Review:

Sweet holy mother of all that is hot and sweet and
awesomesauce – how did I live without this book?! I was pulled in by the
recommendation of a good friend (Kim from Kimberly Faye Reads) and the fact
that this book was only $.99. Hey, I like a deal. Plus, a few other friends had
raved about this book, and Elle Kennedy absolutely blew me away with Claimed earlier this year, so why not?

I never, ever expected to find a new favorite book of all
time. My experience reading THE DEAL was much like when I read Wait for You by J. Lynn – I was
mesmerized and hooked and in love from the start with these enigmatic,
charismatic and wholly relatable characters. Throw in some steamy times (and a
book full of hot hockey players) and I was sold.

Hannah is a character you love from the beginning. She’s
witty and smart but soft and earnest, and (in true NA fashion) a little bit
broken. She hasn’t had the easiest life, but she’s working hard and determined
to make it. Enter bad boy Garrett who rocks her world on its axis. The
chemistry between these two is nothing less than gasoline and a bonfire. It’s
explosive and so much fun to watch.

This is one of those books you just love. I want to read
it all over again writing this review. THE DEAL is the gateway into the Off-Campus series (the other 2 I
devoured within 2 days of reading THE DEAL). Trust me when I say that this is
one series you cannot miss.

Dec 16, 2015

A month or so ago, I sent out an email to my tour hosts because I had been getting a few questions about the criteria I used for picking blog tour hosts. In the wake of the Harper Summer 2016 Tour selections, I got even more. Instead of sending out another email, I figured I would just post this here (mostly the same, with a few updates and some GIFs for fun) so anyone could see it any time.

Here we go:

As I've started doing more tours, I've been getting more and more questions from bloggers about what it is that I'm looking for in a tour host. Some of you have applied for every single tour I've put together and haven't been picked yet. Some of you have voiced to me that you're upset or frustrated by that.

I get it. I do. I've been there. As a matter of fact, that was partially why I started doing my own tours - if I couldn't get picked for one, I'd do it myself.

Let me tell you a bit why I started doing my own tours:

In the beginning....

It started where it always starts - with the love of a book. And the realization that I wanted to promote said book. But it was a book that I knew would be easily overlooked when it hit the market and was pitted against other big name books and authors. So I rounded up some blogger buddies and convinced them to help me.

It sort of ballooned from there; I had publicist friends asking me if I could assemble some bloggers for atourto help them out. I happily obliged. I like organizing things -anything. I'm weird that way. But after a couple of months, I decided to stop just harassing my friends on my email list and open it up, and this Irish Banana Tours began. Imagine my shock when hundreds of people signed up within a week.

But one thing I always remembered was wanting to do tours when I had just started blogging but because I was new (and without much in the ways of stats or followers or a dowry to speak of), I was often overlooked. And frustrated. A lot.

One thing I try to do when organizing a tour is keep that in mind - I make a cognizant effort to try and include smaller, lesser known blogs in every tour. To give people a chance to promote a great book, regardless of their clout or status. Don't get me wrong - I also need a few "heavy hitters" in there to make sure the tour is publicized and social media'd (totes made that into a verb *nods*), but I want smaller bloggers to have a chance to get in on the book love and maybe get a few followers. This is why I specifically say on the form that stats are not needed when signing up.

But know I do click the link and see what kind of blog you have and blogger you are. I look to see how frequently you post. The kind of content you provide.

This was also a lot of the driving force behind the Harper Collins catalog tours - not only did I see a chance to make sure all of their many books got some coverage, but I also wanted smaller blogs to have a chance to expand their following.

So ... Why am I not being picked?

Remember a few paragraphs ago when I mentioned hundreds signed up the first week? That number is steadily growing. I often have to fill a tour with 10 stops and pick from 100 people who signed up for it. The Harper Winter 2016 Tour? Over 250 people signed up in the first day. The Harper Summer Tour boasted those same numbers and steadily kept growing.

Also, I sometimes have to factor in blogs and bloggers publishers and authors suggest I include on the tours. I try to accommodate these requests because I like to keep the authors and publishers happy.

(Note: This is not code for you to go begging pubs and authors to contact me to have you added to a tour - part of my joy is clicking through links and finding new bloggers to add to tours. If I'm constantly told who to add to a tour, I don't get to click and pick. Which means I'm not happy. YOU DON'T WANT ME NOT HAPPY.)

Please don't get discouraged. Please keep trying.

Flexibility on post types and dates is also a huge deal. If you can only post a review on one date, it's harder for me to work with that. The more open you are, the happier my heart is. The same is true with the catalog tours. If you only want to promote 1 book on 1 day, that makes it harder.

But there's this ONE tour I GOTTA be on!

Then tell me that. As much as I love the "I love you"s in the comment sections, what I thrive on is people who are passionate about a book. If there is a specific reason you desperately want to be on a tour (you can relate to the MC, you've been waiting years for this book, you've read all this author's work including the scraps they've thrown out in the trash - actually, don't use that as a reason. Imma need you all to keep your Kathleen Hale in check.), then tell me. When I see that someone has a personal connection to a book, I try everything to get them on that tour.

However, in the case of the catalog tours, a lot of you had a lot of awesome reasons for why you wanted to promote a certain book or author. For instance, THIS SAVAGE SONG and Victoria Schwab was one almost everyone wanted. At least 50 people commented that Victoria is their favorite author ever. Which is awesome and cool, but only 1 person can promote that book.

I also try to make sure each tour host gets a finished copy of the book they promote because I know how much work goes into joining a blogtour. Unfortunately, due to shipping costs and international rights, I can't often get finished copies or physical galleys sent outside the US.

As always, if you have questions ... You got my number.

EMAIL!

YOU HAVE MY EMAIL.

It'd be weird if you all had my number. Actually ... a lot of you do.

Huh. Well, lemme know if you want that, too. We can text the night away. But really, I don't mind questions at all.

In the end,

At the end of the day, I do this because it's fun for me. I don't pull in a steady paycheck that covers my bills to do this. I enjoy organizing these tours and working with publicists and bloggers, often in my free time or lunch break at the job that does pay the bills. I'm also pretty new at this and fumbling my way through it.

I'm just a girl, standing here, in love with a book and wanting to promote it.

Rebels, royals, and monsters wage war over the Mytican throne in the
shocking fourth book of the Falling Kingdoms series, from New York Times
bestselling author Morgan Rhodes.

CLEO:Reeling
after a bloody showdown in Limeros ending with Amara’s abduction of the water
crystal, and a vacancy in the Mytican throne, Princess Cleo must cast aside her
feelings and look toward her kingdom with the eyes of a Queen.

MAGNUS:With the
kingdom in chaos, Princess Lucia still missing and quite possibly in danger,
and a shocking realization about Cleo, the steely prince is once again torn
between love and duty, leaving him wondering whether he’s strong enough to rule
his people.

LUCIA:The young
sorcercess has had her vengeance after the cruel death of her first and only
love. Heartbroken and unable to trust anyone, she allies with the awoken Fire
god, who also seeks revenge.

JONAS:After
escaping death by the skin of his teeth, the defeated rebel—along with a
mysterious stranger–leader reunites with Princess Cleo, only to find himself a
mere pawn in a dangerous hunt for the elusive Kindred.

KING GAIUS:Abandoned
by Melenia and betrayed by his own children, Gaius flees Mytica and sails to
Kraeshia, where he attempts to ally with the famously brutal emperor across the
Silver Sea.

Review:

I swear, this series just gets better and better with
every book. The fact that it’s book 4 and I’m still heavily invested (you guys know I have an issue reading series’),
is a testament to the awesomeness that is Falling
Kingdoms and Morgan Rhodes.

FROZEN TIDES picks up shortly where Gathering Darkness left off. Without giving away too much of the
plot from past books, FROZEN TIDES seriously ups the ante. I loved traveling
beyond the shores of Mytica to Kraesha with Amara. Amara completely caught me
off guard. Her intelligence and ruthlessness absolutely stunned me in the best
ways possible and she is truly set up as a force to be reckoned with in FROZEN
TIDES. I can’t wait to see her in the next book!

I have loved watching the evolution of Magnus, Jonas, and
Cleo. These three are my absolutely faves (OK, Magnus is #1), and their growth
from book 1 to book 4 is incredible. They’ve learned and adapted and persevered
and refused to give up.

Fans of Falling
Kingdoms are going to be hopelessly entranced by FROZEN TIDES. Rhodes once
again bests herself in the storytelling game, weaving a masterful tale of
secrets, deceit and love.

Dec 14, 2015

I am so freaking excited to share with you Chapter 1 of RIDERS by Veronica Rossi. This book is one of my top 2016 books to be read. If the rest of the book is anything like chapter 1, then I'm going to love it!

For eighteen-year-old Gideon Blake, nothing but death can keep him from achieving his goal of becoming a U.S. Army Ranger. As it turns out, it does.

Recovering from the accident that most definitely killed him, Gideon finds himself with strange new powers and a bizarre cuff he can't remove. His death has brought to life his real destiny. He has become War, one of the legendary four horsemen of the apocalypse.

Over the coming weeks, he and the other horsemen--Conquest, Famine, and Death--are brought together by a beautiful but frustratingly secretive girl to help save humanity from an ancient evil on the emergence.

They fail.

Now--bound, bloodied, and drugged--Gideon is interrogated by the authorities about his role in a battle that has become an international incident. If he stands any chance of saving his friends and the girl he's fallen for--not to mention all of humankind--he needs to convince the skeptical government officials the world is in imminent danger.

A
woman—inherforties,I think—sitsbehinda small woodendesk.Shehasoliveskinanddarkhair,eyesasblackandshinyaswinebottles.Hernavy-bluesuitlooksexpensiveandshehasaPhDkindofvibe,likesheknowseverythingaboutsomething.Andwroteabookaboutit.Acivilian.I’dbetanything.